English

In modern livestock barns, proper indoor air quality is imperative to maintain the health and productivity of farm workers and animals. Some problems related to the health of farm workers have been noticed, especially since the 1970's, coinciding with the rapid changes from small traditional farms to large intensive livestock operations.

The purposes of this Fac tsheet are to describe several farm worker health problems that are related to air quality in side livestock buildings and to consider poss ible methods to alleviate them.

In this paper the use of a thin adsorbent sheet composed of activated carbon particles to purify indoor air is modelled. A loose sheet with high porosity appears more effective than a dense one. The carbon sheet can be replaced by a fresh sheet after a certain period of use, thus keeping the volatile organic compound (VOC) level low in the remaining years. The model has been used to predict the optimal replacement time. Binary VOCs are modelled.

Inadequate controls - by today's standards - are estimated to cost industry and commerce £500 million a year in wasted ener9y. Terry Walters, chairman of the Building Controls Group of the Energy Systems Trade Association, looks at the opportunities in ventilation and air conditioning.

A "fungal index" is proposed as a new climate parameter for the characterization of the indoor environment. The index quantifies the environmental conditions in relation to the ability of fungi to grow by means of the response of a xerophilic fungus Eurotium herbarioriun. The growth response of this fungus was found to be climate-dependent. The indoor environment in a residential building in Japan (1991-1992) was quantitatively assessed by this approach. In the assessment, the variation in microclimate, which differs greatly within and between rooms, could be demonstrated.

The carbon dioxide concentration patterns in a large, high-rise, office building in Ottawa were examined experimentally using an automated data acquisition system. Daily C02 concentration profiles throughout the building and air change rates, using SF6 as a tracer gas, were measured at minimum outdoor air supply rates during much of a heating season.

The design of Rotherham's new courthouse adopts passive solar architecture and heat recovery systems in an effort to make the legal process less energy intensive. Stephen Ashley reports.